REVIEW OF THE ALBUM STALLIONS OF STEEL BY PROWLER

Prowler is a classic heavy metal band from Germany formed in 2008, and released their first EP Hard Pounding heart in 2012, Finally Prowler released their debut album last 27th February with Pure Steel Records, under the name of Stallions Of Steel .

Prowler develops a classic new wave of British heavy metal sound in every single note, reminding of bands like Angel witch, Fist or Praying Mantis at their first line up, mid to fast paced rhythms generally with straight riffs and catchy choruses by a well played high pitched and clean vocal style.

Motorcycle of love kicks in and demonstrates what the band is all about in their mid tempo pace with Saxon reminiscences, remarkable guitar work on the riffs as the speed of sound accelerates to a pure speed classic heavy metal with Freedom, guitars are awesome specially in the solo, great teamwork with the drums making it headbanging all the way.

Mind and might hits with a killer mid tempo rhythm and one of the best choruses of the band including some good drum details, as Stallions of steel goes increscendo in another classic NWOBHM lesson becoming a good highlight of the album's sound.

Mexican Story heralds the best progression on the vocals, also the rhythms are really addictive and in general the intensity is boosted with power and glory, being in my opinion the best track of the band, as the riffs of Out of the night take you to bang your head in a very strong and straight shot of pure traditional heavy metal, well composed bridge and better guitar riffs all over.

Paranoia explodes in another speed metal headbanging bomb with good drum details and really good composition on the vocals as Prowler continues the mid tempo action with galloping, changing riffs and a really intense chorus.

A Maiden's Funeral contains some interesting riff performances with technical points on the teamwork of guitar and drums, remarkable the composition after the second half of the track, the crescendo part is outstanding.

Good album by Prowler, they managed really well the old school sound of the NWOBHM, will be a must have for any metalheads familiarized with bands like Angel Witch, Saxon or Holocaust; could be better produced, drums need more presence and generally the band need to work hard for the next album, but for sure, this is a pure genuine classic heavy metal band that will have lots to talk from now on!

7,5 / 10

Line up 

David Junold Guitars

Clemens Richter Guitars

Marvin Mehrländer Bass

Ronny Dietrich Vocals

Michael Czernik Drums

Links

Myspace
Facebook

Buy the album Stallions of Steel

Release by Pure Steel Records

Review by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM FAST AND GLORIOUS BY ALLTHENIKO (5/12/2014)

Alltheniko is a heavy speed metal band from Italy founded in 2002 and released four full lengths of authentic true metal, We Will Fight (2006), Devasterpiece (2008), Millenium Re-Burn (2011) and then the band signed with Pure Steel Records to release Back in 2066 (2012) and the upcoming album, Fast and Glorious, coming the next 5th of December.

Alltheniko creates an authentic epic heavy speed metal style defined by influences from the epic side of Manowar to the fast sharp metal of Judas Priest, with power metal elements making the final result a forceful epic bomb, on the line of speed metal bands like Exciter, Revenge, Savage Grace or Sentinel beast; the way the band compose is sophisticated in every sense, drums and guitar change rhythms and alternate riffs and solos virtuously in a technical way but also forge different impulsive guitar roars with speed heavy, thrash and power metal drippings, even sometimes kicking in with death metal shots ; the vocals are using different techniques at perfection, raw and aggressive with Udo sharp vibrato and also clean high pitched missiles that emphasise the whole sound.

Tank of death attack straight with head banging speed metal riffs, in one of those mosh pit invitations of pure speed heavy metal action, as sudden death metal riffs sound that clearly evolve to another speed metal track in Fast and Glorious, this time adding more power metal elements enforced with a well forged melodic chorus.

The action keeps the breathtaking speed metal pace, this time in one of the most complex song, KaiserSteel, changing rhythms and adding acoustic parts, but keeping the usual aggressive force at galloping mid tempo parts as well as fast epic death metal instrumental elements where the voice remains clean and powerful at every moment.

One of the best tracks of all belongs to Holy war, holy fighters, a mid fast tempo pure heavy metal hit with power metal details, where the vocals are performed with astonishing melodies of high and lows together with a technically perfect guitar act, the composition is great and the chorus is catchy as well as the structural progression.

The high quality of the album continues with Scream for Exciter as another aggressive powerful speed metal in this non stop headbanging work, continued with Spirit of war, where the instrumentals remains in harmony with an outstanding performance, the bridge and chorus are one of the most epic and powerful shots of the album, some verses even bring memories of a mix of Warlock and the Walls of Jericho style by Helloween.

The bells of hell sound for Power to Rebel, forceful and epic, mid fast paced song introducing low pitched harsh and growling parts performed really well creating a venomous dark atmosphere and linked with The Arenas God as another accelerated and sophisticated heavy metal with epic melodies that attack with intensity on the chorus, marking another highlights for the album.

Finally the well-known riffs of power and the glory by Saxon kick in as a loyal cover from the Italians, adding the own band's style, and honestly, the result is amazing! Just the perfect ending for an excellent job of pure true metal.

The album is once more another top shot from Alltheniko, coming back stronger than ever with such a powerful album, riveting from start to finish, will become one of the top albums of the year, this real masterpiece will be an essential for true metalheads!

9 / 10

Alltheniko are
David Nightflight on bass and vocals
Joe Boneshaker on guitars
Luke the Idol on drums

Links
Facebook
Website
Reverbnation
Twitter
Youtube
Myspace


Release by Pure Steel records

Post by Daniel Ortiz
Metalheads Union
Metalheads Union FB

Previous releases

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM THE FINAL NIGHTMARE BY OVERDRIVE (2014)

Overdrive is one of the classiest NWOBHM bands in early 80s, formed in 1977, the quartet developed an early heavy metal style releasing their first single On the run (1981) which became a cult material for the years to come. The first album was then released nine years later, Dishonest words, and four years later their second shot called Home sweet home (1994) taking a lull until the release of another two albums, On wizard Ridge (2005) and Three corners to nowhere one year later.

Eight years later and with the new vocalist David Poulter in the band, Overdrive released Final Nightmare via Pure Rock Records last 22nd August 2014.

The new album continues exactly this authentic traditional heavy metal style, containing drippings of 70s hard rock and a few epic elements seen on bands like Saxon. Invited to hell is a demonstration of this early sound as they perform genuine heavy metal with influences, the chorus is really headbanging and catchy as the hard rocker Twice shy come to scene developing a late 70s strong pulsed mid tempo, the progression is excellent, alternating slow and mid paced drum beats and introducing keyboards in an excellent harmony.

Glass game heralds a never-ending headbanging structure, the mid tempo rhythms are one of the best of the band, and is also remarkable the work on the instrumentals, guitars and keyboards strike forcefully and linking the action to an increscendo track, Twisting my mind, creating one of their best chorus, vocal sounds even bring memories from Udo in his cleanest techniques, guitar performance is outstanding and well played along with the keyboards, showing a good instrumental fight, style also seen in Nightwalker, with a more modern influence but still under the old school patterns.

Wasted begins so powerful like a neck breaking blast of fast paced heavy metal, definitely a true masterpiece that will involve the crowd in every gig, with an addictive riff and chorus continued by Lost on a mountain, keeping you up again with some melodic strong pounding heavy sound being another highlight in the album.

Taken Young develops a really rich composition in an ascending intensity path, mastering a really good performance on the instruments harmony, curiously brings me memories from a unreleased track by Judas Priest called Mother sun, the orchestra with violins and piano forge a really powerful ballad and the neoclassical style at the end make it a masterpiece of the band.

The final nightmare end the album, creating a dark atmosphere evolving in an addictive riff, vocals work again on the epic side even showing a high theatrical performance level, the guitar and keyboards construct a really solid and rich sound, leading to an astonishing ending.

Overdrive came back stronger than ever and eight years after their last album, its unbelievable how these guys manage to keep the essence of their sound in early eighties, if you don't know this is new stuff you probably time this album immediately after their first single in 1981,

definitely this is a good lesson of classic heavy metal made for true metalheads, as overall the final nightmare is an excellent album that must be in the collection every NWOBHM fan.

9 / 10

Links

Facebook

Homepage

Myspace

Overdrive are

Ian Hamilton Bass, Vocals, Vocals

Mr. Scratch "Animal" Padgett Drums

Tracey W. Abbott Guitars

Tim Hall Keyboards, Vocals

David Poulter Vocals

Released by Pure Rock Records, part of Pure Steel records

Post by Daniel Ortiz

Metalheads Union

Metalheads Union FB

Support the artist, but the album!

REVIEW OF THE ALBUM UNDER THE PENTAGRAM BY SKYCONQUEROR

Skyconqueror is a classic heavy metal band from Germany, formed in 1997 comprised by Carsten Stiens on the drums, Mirko Jankord on the bass, axemaster Jan Tappert and vocals by Daniel Hiller.

The band released three demos in their early years until the release of their first full length in 2008, Hellstory, taking the band to give plenty gigs in the following years and then releasing their second album Under the Pentagram at the beginning of July 2014.

The band forged a combination of hard rock and heavy metal sound as seen on the NWOBHM bands of the late 70s and early 80s, the influences are high from bands like Accept, Saxon or Dio which is something awesome!

The album break the silence with Monolith offering an excellent riff taken straight from the early NWOBHM when hard rocker tunes blue rock influenced melted with aggressive heavy metal blasts, great feeling with the vocals, mid range style in a melodic technique and then attacking fast with Demon, really epic song with forceful heavy structure and those kind of chorus made to raise your fists, remarkable guitar job on the second half bringing back that approach from the first line up of the germans Accept.

The Sanctuary of 83 develop a strong pulse mid tempo drumbeats, excellent composition as the guitars and the vocals dancing around this thunderous rhythm, linking to the galloping riffs on the vein of Iron Maiden, Horseman of the Grail, headbanging piece with one of the best chorus of the album; as the acoustic guitars of The Dusk take you to an intense ballad, offering a fantastic vocal perception that leads to the tittle track Under the Pentagram as another classic heavy metal headbanging act with strong drumbeats, also following the same strategy it continues with Fallen Rainbow Warrior developing NWOBHM genuine riffs with influences from Saxon.

Without a break the mid tempo pulse of Bells of Fate bring you up wrecking your necks adding a good catchy chorus, made to be shouted at the gigs. Outstanding tune guys!

Through different eyes is an in crescendo instrumental track that links with Running high in a fantastic hard rocker riff start  that is combined with early heavy metal at perfection, and following to the next and last song of the album, Blade of Black, following the combination of styles characteristic of the band, being the sign of their music and also adding some power metal elements.

Skyconqueror forged an exceptional album combining the hard rock roots with the sharp dangerous heavy metal sound of the early 80s, every single track is good and the guys made a good job together as a band. With Under the Pentagram I'm sure they will get to the next level, keeping the heavy metal roots intact demonstrating that the Traditional Heavy Metal is back and stronger than ever.

8,5 / 10


Links
Facebook
Website

PROMOTION BY METAL MESSAGE


Post by Daniel Ortiz from Metalheads Union and Metalheads Union FB